German actress Sibel Kekilli, who plays the strong-minded Shae on HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” is no stranger to the spotlight. Her work in critically acclaimed films “Head-On” and “When We Leave” brought her fame back at home, but the world-wide popularity of “Game of Thrones” is a different beast.

“It’s a dream for everyone to be a part of an American series—a huge, successful series,” said Kekilli. “It’s just a gift for me. Maybe I will never have it ever again. I’m just enjoying it.”

The actress sat down with Speakeasy to discuss her character’s relationship with Tyrion in season four, the mind of Jack Gleeson (who plays Joffrey), and the need for more male nudity on the show.

Edited excerpts:

Your scene with Tyrion [played by Peter Dinklage] in the first episode of season four is very intense.

It was so hard to act that. I thought, ‘Please, I don’t want to act this.’ I was begging [showrunners] Dan [Weiss] and David [Benioff], and they said, “No, Sibel, we are paying for this so you have to.”

Does this scene hint at more trouble to come this season?

Without any spoilers, let me say it like this: Shae had [a] really tough life. And she had never had a foundation in her life until she met and fell in love with Tyrion, and Tyrion fell in love with her. She started to think she has a foundation in her life. And now, after they married—Sansa and Tyrion—it’s like, you know, shaking. It’s like an earthquake. It could stop, or it could be getting stronger.

Have you read all the books?

No. [laughs] Because Dan and David told me, “Sibel, at the beginning, we will change your part a bit. If you read the books, just to know for you, she will be a bit bigger. Of course not the main part, but she will get bigger.” So I decided to read it later. I didn’t want to get confused between the book Shae and the series.

The show is well known for a lot of female nudity. What about male nudity?

I know, I told them. I said I have to talk to Dan and David and to George [R.R. Martin]. They should say, “All men must get naked and not die” [referring to “All men must die,” or “Valar morghulis" in High Valyrian]. Because I want to see more nudity. Because why always the women? The women are really beautiful and of course it’s a part of the show.

That’s maybe one of the rules [of] why it’s successful, of course. It’s not, “Oh my God, they are naked.” It’s a natural thing. There are whores, there are prostitutes. But I want to see more naked men. I try. I tell Dan and David and George all the time.

You’re a very accomplished actress, and then you joined the show, which is very popular. How are you coping with the different kind of attention?

With my other movies, I never had that kind of experience. It’s funny because so many actors here—George said that there are so many actors that just came from drama school, acting school. Because of my career before, I see this year as a gift, as a bonus.

Perhaps because of their varied backgrounds, the cast does seem very down to earth.

All of them. I mean Sophie [Turner, who plays Sansa] and Isaac [Hempstead Wright, who plays Bran]. They are so down to earth and they are really well educated.

And even Jack [Gleeson]—Joffrey—he doesn’t want to act. That shows that he’s really down to earth, and he knows this is show business. And this is the life. And he’s really young.

I heard that. I have to Google it. I know that he’s really intelligent. And you know, he said it’s not fulfilling him—acting. So I really understand him. I think every one of us knows that, okay, maybe it will never happen again. Maybe you will stick in this role forever and not get a chance to have another success at that kind of level.